Strange Eyes
by Furry Elf
Summary: Gambit encounters a young mutant girl with a long history and a even longer hate for others. Stuff happens and they find themselves on the road together... trying to be each others saving grace. ooooo chapter 6 is finally written!
1. In The Beginning

Title of Fic: Strange Eyes  
  
Name/alias: Furry Elf  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairings: Gambit/original character, but more a brother-sister thing.  
  
Slight Summary: Gambit finds this girl that needs his help. He's in the middle of re-thinking his life at the moment so he agrees to help her. He sees her as a way to start making up for all the wrongs in his past. His saving grace, so to speak. Warnings: hmmm...I might put in a big fight scene or two but nothing gory. (I'm not good at writing gory stuff)  
  
Disclaimer: Ok, let me check in my files and ownership manuals and junk....uh, NO I do NOT own Gambit or any other Marvel characters. Because if I did, Gambit would be MINE ALL MINE! Sight belongs to me and you MUST ask VERY nicely if you want to use her and I MUST proof-read any other stories with her and she will NOT have any R or X rated type things...got it? ok, nuff said.  
~thinking~ *actions* telepathy ^flashback^ #dream#  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The time is 1:23 p.m. The day is Tuesday. The month is February.  
  
The room is unbelievably clean. Any floor that isn't covered what can only be imported rugs is shining real wood. The lights are dimmed, the thin curtains are drawn to diminish the light further... all in all, the room screamed money.  
  
Something else was screaming as well. The telephone.  
  
Dr. Henry McCoy, called 'Hank' by his friends, sighing heavily, took off his glasses, and stood up to answer the telephone, book in hand.  
  
"Xavier's Institute For The Gifted, this is Henry, how can I help you?"  
  
"I'm calling to talk wit de Professeur, it really impor'ant."  
  
"And who shall I say is calling?"  
  
"Uh...well, we haven't met. But a guy named Warren said I should call y' if  
  
I needed help."  
  
"And you name would be....?" The young boy on the other end of the line hesitated for a moment before answering.  
  
"Remy."  
  
__________________  
  
(About 30 minutes later)  
"Then it's settled, we'll have someone come pick you up and--" Remy cut Professor Charles Xavier off, "Remys' friend, she can come too, non?"  
  
"Friend? You only mentioned yourself. To whom are you referring?"  
  
"Remy's friend, de petite need da help more, she can't see. I gotta know if she can come, I hav'ta find her."  
  
"She can't see, yet you don't know where she is?"  
  
"She hides. She has to, Remy don' need to hide as much, but she do. She can come?"  
  
Charles let out a silent puff of air, this might get just a mite complicated if Remy started inviting his friends along.  
  
"We'll have to see once we get there, Remy."  
  
"Oui, I go find her now, merci."  
  
Click. The dialtone rang softly in the Professor's ear as he thought about this Remy and his "friend". Hank, who had been standing by, listening on the other line began, "What about this girl he's talking about?"  
  
Xavier looked up at his blue friend, "I'm not entirely sure. We need to get Cerebro running again, perhaps that will help. Other than that, I am at a complete lose."  
  
________________  
  
2:20 p.m.  
  
The streets are dirty, unkept. Pot holes everywhere, some with grass growing in them. Clothes hang from windows, that is, the ones that weren't broken.  
  
Several of the apartment-like houses were boarded up, what windows that weren't, were also broken. Grass and weeds looked more like a forest in front of them, and you knew, just KNEW, that, one of these days you're going to walk by and something will jump out and grab you.  
  
To the passerby, the type who doesn't live anyplace like here, the type that doesn't WANT to live here, the type that doesn't NEED to live here, the type that goes down these streets repeating in their minds 'don't look, don't stop, how the heck did I get here?'  
  
Yeah, you know who I mean. Maybe you're one of them.  
  
To those people, these boarded up houses are just that.  
  
Boarded up houses.  
  
But if you stayed here for more than one night, you figure out different REAL quick.  
  
Houses like that, they're infested. Not with rats mind you.... but then again, maybe they are. But not the kind you set little wooden traps with cheese on them for.  
  
No, these rats were bigger. Stronger. And looked a mite too human for a lot of peoples tastes.  
  
But these 'rats' were The Rule around here. When they said 'jump', you didn't ask how high.... You reached for the moon and beyond, and hope they didn't mean anything higher than that.  
  
When you saw a flash of light, and heard a 'bang' in the distance.... or close by.... you didn't say a thing. Not one thing.  
  
Not to your children, not to your neighbor. You kept silent.  
  
You never wondered why the postman was different every week. You never called the police. You never bad-talked someone. You figured out friends from enemies fast and watched your children play--even in the back yard.  
  
Yeah, this was the place to be if you wanted to learn about the streets. This place WAS the streets. You made your friends real quick-- always good to have allies to back you up in time of trouble.  
  
But if you wanted to disappear, to just be there, but not.... well, that was a mite more difficult.  
  
Because you see, even though the people here don't SAY anything. They're still WATCHING.  
  
Everybody's watching you. Even the dark windows with the curtains drawn. You just KNEW that, somehow, even they were peering out at you. Judging you.  
  
Remy knows this. He grew up in place a lot like this one. Strange that he would choose this area to hide in.  
  
Remy, however, is not looking at the windows, or the old houses, he is running. Running down the street to one of the alleys. He isn't too much of a strange sight in this neighborhood, longish hair, calf length coat, sunglasses. The only way anyone would know he didn't belong there was if they heard him speak. Remy runs from one alley to the next, ~ She's gotta be 'round here somew'ere. ~ Finally, at the third alley, he stops for a minute before walking calmly in. Or at least, he just LOOKS calm. Inside, he's checking out every shadow, sound and shape in the alley, preparing to fight if he needs too.  
  
There was a sound.  
  
Glass.  
  
Then something small and furry streaked by him.  
  
~ Whew, dat one had Remy goin' f'r a min'. ~ " Petite, Remy talked wit de Professeur, he say we can talk. They comin' to da house at 3:30. "  
  
A shape detaches it's self from the shadows. A stooped figure, wearing a long full covering robe stands up. The robe is almost monk-like; sleeves that go well past the hands, and a hood that completely covers the face.  
  
The voice that answers him is one that you would expect of a boy. Very little was feminine about her voice. A bit scratchy, coming from the back of her throat.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"2:30 now. They comin' for us at 3 at de house, we need to git back."  
  
"Are there many people out yet?"  
  
"Non, but lots people come out if we stay talkin' in here longer."  
  
Remy walks quickly to the girl and takes her arm and 'guides' her to the sidewalk where they head back in the direction of the house. Remy is constantly looking around to see if people are watching.  
  
~One thing 'bout run down areas of cities like dis, you can always count on someone bein' at de wrong place at de wrong time to make the wrong assumption of a right situation. If someone had seen Remy walk into the alley and come back out with de girl, for sure they would t'ink drugs or stealing was going on.  
  
Course, in Remy's case the stealing part is mostly true, but dat was months ago, and Remy, he's trying to go straight for the girls sake, but it been hard you know? ~  
  
He had grown up around stealing; stealing was his life not to long ago. But he had met this girl who needed help and everything changed. He got into a lot more trouble than normal for him with the police, and his 'family' started to get on his case about it.  
  
He left his birth home with the girl for the first time in 16 years to get away from the city and it's dangers. He knew that if he stayed, The Guilds would turn against him, he also knew that if he left, he could never return to his home without being labeled a traitor and a price on his head. He saved/stole enough money, he and girl had hoped a few trains, and they made their way to New York, where they had met a guy named Warren Worthington III, a man with an amazing ability. He could fly. He had beautiful angel wings, and he mentioned a group of mutants that wanted to help other mutants.  
  
Remy had thought about this many times and he and the girl had decided that they should give it a try. So, he called and found out about them, and now they were on their way.  
  
He sincerely hoped they hadn't made a mistake. Mistakes could, more often than not, be deadly for Remy. The girl was putting a lot of trust in him. He couldn't let her down. If he let her down, he would be letting himself down. The girl was his saving grace. He had a chance to do something right for once and start making up for all the wrongs he had done in his past.  
  
But the saying that one of his old friends had recited when he told him about his plan was still ringing in his ears: " 'Once a t'ief. Always a t'ief,' Remy," he had told him. "No matter how hard y' try, y' still gonna be a t'ief at heart, and not'ing, not'ing y' try to do will ever change dat."  
  
Remy had been defiant at the time, coming back at his friend with a lot bravado and smart remarks. But now that bravado was gone. A candle in the wind. Snuffed out like the lie it was. ~ Remy, he a coward. All t' eives are. Remy just did a good job of hidin' de fact from himself. Courage or no courage, I've got to help her with everyt'ing I've got. She's all I got left. ~  
  
Remy and the girl got to a run down house without anyone approaching them. Remy thanked the Mother Mary for that. He had been thanking her a lot more recently, for her protection.  
  
Especially from the gangs here.  
  
At 3:30 a red and white corvette with the top down pulled up to the old house.  
  
There were only two people in it. A tall black woman with solid white hair and bald man. Remy came out of the house to meet them alone.  
  
~ Merde! Remy gonna haveta watch de car! ~  
  
The man spoke first. "Hello, Remy, I'm Charles Xavier, this is one of the teachers at my school, Ororo Munro." Charles held out his hand and Remy shook it. "You come to de house, please? Talk wit Remy's friend like I asked, I'll watch car from de window for y', ya shouldn't stay out here f'r long."  
  
Xavier smiled at him, though it was a small one. "That won't be neccessary, Remy."  
  
When everyone was seated in the living room, close to the fire Remy had started, the girl addressed Professor Xavier first;  
  
"My name is Tate, I don't know if Remy told you that or not."  
  
"Hello Tate, I am Charles Xavier, this is one of my teachers, Ororo Munroe."  
  
Tate nodded in their direction. Behind the hood, she was smiling; people always sounded so stiff and formal round her.  
  
"Remy tells me that you might have a place for us at your school. Is this true or is it another game that so many adults like to play?"  
  
Xavier and Ororo seem surprised at her boldness.  
  
"No, this is not a game, child," Ororo replies. "The matter of life and death as a mutant on the streets is never a game. To call it so is foolish."  
  
"Are you saying that you believe me to be a foolish child who knows nothing of how to survive on the streets?" Ororo started to speak again but Tate continued, "If that is the case, then one must wonder how in the world I managed alone for the first 7 years?"  
  
Ororo looks again, surprised at the young girls' words. She glances at Xavier who narrows his eyes for a moment.  
  
Tate stiffened at that exact moment, And Professor X jumped in his chair at the harsh mental shove he received from the girl.  
  
"Don't try to get into my head again, Xavier. You would not like what you found there. I can detect a telepath, and block them out. But if you tried really hard, I just might let you in...." she looked at Remy, "However, whether or not you could get out again would be an entirely different matter."  
  
Remy smirked. Tate loved freaking people out.  
  
She looked back at Xavier. He felt she was seeing him, somehow, but he couldn't see how that was possible. Remy had said she was blind. Yet she had needed no help getting around the house, she seemed to know where everyone was seated and kept looking at each one when she talked to them.  
  
What's more, he couldn't get into either ones mind. He couldn't even sense their presence in the room. If they hadn't been talking, he would have barely noticed them at all.  
  
"Very well, I shall cut to the chase then. At the mansion, you can continue your education, train, be protected, and live as normally as possible. After a while, if you choose, you might become a member of our team, the X- Men. Either way, you would still train with everyone"  
  
Ororo took over, "You could go to school if you wanted, or learn at the mansion, the Professor and others, including myself, do encourage the students to attend public school, as a part of training in a way."  
  
Remy looks at Tate who is silent and still for a few moments, then nods and rises.  
  
"We will go with you. I know Remy wants to go, I will see for myself what your school is about. After that, we will decide." She left the room then, and went upstairs.  
  
Remy was left with Ororo and the Prof. He leaned back in the couch and pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling them, a habit he had when he was nervous.  
  
Ororo broke the silence by asking him where he was from.  
  
"Nr'leans," he told her, not looking at her. Still shuffling the cards.  
  
"That is quite a ways away, how did you end up here?" Remy stiffened, "None of y'r business."  
  
Ororo was silent, ~ Seems I touched a nerve, ~ she though. She was about to try again when Remy sat forward, a smile on his face.  
  
"Wan' see a trick?" Remy fanned the cards out and was holding them, face up towards her.  
  
Ororo smiled and nodded. "Pick a card." She reached forward and pulled out the ace of hearts. "Now, hold it in y'r hand, and watch..." Remy said cryptically. She did so and he placed a finger on the card...Ororo looked up at him quizzically and received only a nod at the card from Remy in return.  
  
She looked back down at the card and saw it was starting to glow orange, then red. Remy then took the card out of her hand and lightly tossed it toward the ceiling.  
  
It exploded with a soft pop and at the very last moment Ororo could still see the heart before it burnt. She smiled warmly, "That was impressive, can you control the intensity of the charge?"  
  
Remy's smirk turned into a smile. "Only a 'lil bit. What's your power, chere?"  
  
Ororo quirked an eyebrow at 'chere' but said nothing about it. "I can control the weather."  
  
"Show me?" She smiled and beckoned him to the window.  
  
They were looking at the car, which still had it's top down, Ororo smiled at the look Remy was giving her as her eyes went from brown to milk white. She pointed to the clouds, which were gathering together and darkening quickly. The rain started soft then slowly turned to a light snow.  
  
Ororo let the snow continue to fall for a few a minutes before banishing it.  
  
Remy turned and grinned at her, "I think maybe, you forget about the de car, non? Dis be some'hing new, we all gonna ride ina sn'wmobile." The wind rider only smiled and said, "Look again."  
  
Remy did as she said and found that the car had not a drop of water or snow on it. He laughed for the first time in a long while. Having long since giving up on finding anything to be happy about.  
  
_________________  
  
Yea! Chapter one re-posted! *does the happy dance* I think it makes a 'lil more sense this way. ~Furry Elf 


	2. A Meeting Of Furs

Strange Eyes genre: humor/action/'lil romance  
  
AN:Ok, in this chapter i'm gonna give ya hints about the girl and Remy without giving away everything. And before I say anything else, please please please don't mistake her for a Mary-Sue when I start describing her. And I'm changed the ^thinking^ to ~thinking~ because that's how I have it in A Perfect Match and it's getting confusing switching back and forth. Also, the POV changes from the characters to mine a couple times. That's because I didn't know how else to say what I was saying. So sorry if any of it gets confusing. *Does imitation of Uncle on Jackie Chan* One more thing! Please don't expect updates for at least 2 weeks at a time. I have to rely on my real life muse to do spell checks for me as she says I made a ton of mistakes in the last chapter. Me, being me, didn't see them. So, just be warned. Ok, your warned.  
  
Acey: You really think it's ok? cool! And I would be so thankful for any help on accents. I think I'm more German inclined in the accents area. Probably because I'm learning German.  
  
Eixid: Yes, this chapter is at the Insitute. Yes you will find out a little more about the Girl. Yes, I hope I update soon, too!  
  
Evolutionary Spider: Don't worry, more about how she and Gambit meet is coming up. You won't get a lot, but you'll get some. I don't want to keep everyone waiting forever then forget that I'm here by the time I get the next chapter up.  
  
Sasamibea: Thanks for the vote!  
  
Mandatory Disclaimer: Don't own. Not making any money. Sight is mine. Gambit is mine.....oh wait, no he isn't....darn. uh....Marvel owns the Universe. oops, I mean Marvel Universe owns Gambit and all of us... I mean they own the X-Men and stuff....oh heck, you get the idea. ;) Scooter-boy is NOT my idea. I forget who originaly thought it up, but I'm telling you right here and now that it ain't me. If any of ya'll know, please tell me. Thanks.  
  
~thinking~ telephathy ^ flashback ^ #dream# ______________A Meeting of Furs______________  
  
Kurt was just entering the kitchen after getting home from school. He turned his holoimager off and promptly opened the fridge and began rooting around for a soda. He looked around quickly and started removing most of the contents from the bottom shelf. Once done he triumphantly pulled out the hidden Dr. Pepper from the back.  
  
Everyone else in the mansion really seemed to like Dr. Pepper and never saved any for him. After putting everything back in the fridge he disappeared in a swirl of smoke and re-appeared above the couch in the rec- room. He droped down lightly and picked up the remote, intent on watching a full two and a half hours of cartoons before getting to his homework. Fate, however, had another idea in mind.  
  
Kurt.  
  
The voice in his head almost made him spill his soda.  
  
Ja, Professor?  
  
We have two new students, one of whom I think you will be most interested in meeting. Come to my office, would you?  
  
Sure, I'll there in a flash.  
  
Kurt grinned, his fangs flashing in the light from the TV. Then with scarcely more than a thought he bamfed to the top of the bookself in the Professors office.  
  
"Ah, there you are." Kurt jumped down beside Xavier and faced the two new comers. "Remy, Tate, this is Kurt Wagner, also known as Nightcrawler, one of my students here at the Institute, Kurt, this is Remy LeBeau and his sister, Tate."  
  
Kurt took a few steps forward, still smiling and held out his hand to Remy.  
  
"Guten Tag, and velcome!" He hadn't noticed Remys' eyes until now but his smile didn't falter. Remy grinned and took his hand without so much as a blink. Kurts' smile spread even wider.  
  
~Wow, dis guy gonna be great help for da petite. At leas' he won' be runnin' scared of 'er.~  
  
Remy released his hand and bent to whisper to Tate. "De homme non gonna be 'fraid of y' one bit petite, trust Remy on dat."  
  
Tate nodded and held out her hand to Kurt. She had claws and her skin was covered in brown fur. Kurts' smile turned into a grin as he shook her hand. "We have something in common then, ja?"  
  
"Hm, indeed. The Professor mentioned some simularities but I thought it was just talk," Her hands moved to her hood which she pulled back slowly. Her skin is completely covered in the brown fur, her shoulder length hair is black and wavy, her ears are pointed, her fangs are prominent, and her eyes are completly white. No pupil, no irises. Just white.  
  
Kurt stares. He knows it's rude but he can't help it. "You don't have a tail, do you?" A small sound came from Tate, almost sounding like laughter. "No, but I do have something else." Tate removed her robe to reveal that she is wearing a black halter top and strech shorts. She smiled at him then, crouched down to jump and pulled the muscles in her back taunt. As soon as she felt the release she sprang into the air and flew towards the ceiling a few seconds before droping back to the ground. Her black, leathery, and spiked, dragon-like wings folded down behind her. "Not as eficient as what you do, but it works."  
  
"Wow, zhat is cool!" Tate half-smiled and picked up her robe, making her wings disappear into her back once more.  
  
"Kurt, would you show our guests to their rooms, please?"  
  
"Sure, Professor. Follow me."  
  
________________  
  
"....And right through here is the womens' wing," Kurt was showing Tate and Remy around the mansion and the last stops were their rooms. "Here, the Professor said that your room vould be the one next to Kitty's and Rouge's. Depending on your point of view, that is either a good thing, or a bad thing." He flashed Tate a smile and opened the door, bowing as Tate walked past him into the room. While bowing Kurt recieved another surprise about Tate. (No, get your mind outta the locker room!)  
  
Her feet.  
  
Or to be more presice, the spikes on the heels of her feet. The very sharp spikes on the heels of her feet, making her walk on her toes at all times. Kurt stood up again quickly so as not to be caught staring. Remy being Remy however, did notice but remained silent. He had seen the reaction a few times and knew how to and not to handle the situation.  
  
Tate was 'looking' around the room. She had her hands held out in front of her to capture the image of the room. Perhaps I need to explaine more. Tate is blind. But not really. She doesn't have any pupils or irises. Just the white of her eyes. She uses her hands to 'see'. Better put, she uses her hands to emit an sonar frequencey. Echolocation. Like a bat. She can't really see the faces of the people she meets, more she sees their shape. This echolocation allows her to 'see' in the dark but also limits her movements.  
  
Tate relys on her shape and voice recognition, as well as her sense of smell to identify the people around her. While this would get confusing in a large group of people, it is not likely that would ever happen. Tate likes to be left alone. Doesn't like meeting new people in large groups, or small ones either. It's not that she's completely anti-social or anything. Just lots of people make her nervous.  
  
In most cases in Tates' past, large groups of people meant getting hurt.  
  
Trust doesn't come easy to Tate. You must prove yourself worthy of trust in order to receive it in return. Something that Remy has done many times in past couple of months.  
  
Remy walked into the room after Tate and walk over to the doors that led out to the balcony. He tapped on the glass and his eyes flicked over to Tate again. She moved a hand in his direction in response. ~Good, Tate knows where de glass is. 'opefully she ain' gon' to be walkin' inta it any time soon.~  
  
Kurt was leaning on the door frame, watching the siblings. Tate seemed to like the room. If you could call it that. It was hard to read any expression on her face. ~If the eyes are the windows to the soul, what do you do in cases like ours?~ The thought struck him as almost funny. ~Three people. Three different sets of eyes. You can't read the expression in them, or you have to look hard to find it. Poker Faces, Resigned Faces, Blank Expressions, A Mask of Nothing. Hm...strange eyes, strange people, strange powers, yet one and the same. ~  
  
"If you like, I can show you both where Remy's room is now." Both boy and girl stoped their exploring and walked out the door and back into the hallway. ~ Boy, vith all the talking going on here, I should be deaf by now,~ Kurt thought with more than a little sarcasm.  
  
Kurt lead Tate and Remy back down the hallway and across the stairs to the men's wing. "You'll be rooming vith Bobby. He's a real prankster so vatch out for him. This room has a balcony too," When Kurt opened the door to Bobby and Remy's room they were greeted by the sight of...of...well.....let's just say it's a teen-age boy's room. Remy raised an eyebrow at Kurt.  
  
"Uh.....und as you can zee, Bobby has yet to perform his vonce-a-month ritual of cleaning his room."  
  
"Don' worry, mon ami. Remy non mind a 'lil mess. It be a heck ofa lot betta dan some of de places we ben, eh, Tate?"  
  
"Good grief, how does the boy walk in this landfill?? Does he fly?"  
  
"Heh, nein. He just seems to not mind."  
  
"For as long as I live, I think I shall never understand the male species, honestly."  
  
"Well, i's good ta see y' talkin' 'gain, chere. Remy was gettin' 'lil worried 'bout y' for a min'.  
  
"Well, there was no reason for me to speak much before, was there?"  
  
"Non, I s'pose not."  
  
There was a short uneasy silence following Remy's words.  
  
"Vell, dinner is at 6:00, unless there iz anything else you vant me to show you...?"  
  
"Nah, Remy t'ink we gonna be ok 'til den, righ' Tate?"  
  
"Of course. I believe the gym has been calling Remy's name ever since we got here, perhaps a work out before dinner?"  
  
Remy smiled his infectious smile, "Now I know da petite is back on track....she done read Remy's mind 'gain."  
  
Tate sighed, "Yeah, whatever. You still ain't gonna get me to laugh and win that bet."  
  
Kurt looked at Remy who was still smiling, raising his eyebrows he asked, "Bet?"  
  
"Long 'tory, mon ami. Mebbe Remy tell y' some day, non?"  
  
"Hmm...ja, someday. Vell...see you at dinner!" With that Kurt disappeared in a whirl of smoke and the smell of brimstone. Both Tate and Remy held their noses.  
  
"Ugh! Dat boy need some air freshener, non?"  
  
"Whew! Remy, be a dear and see if you can burn the smell away."  
  
"Oui, my pleasure." Remy looked around the room and picked up a pencil from the floor. The tip began to glow, then burst into a small flame which he used like a match to burn away the sent left behind by Kurt.  
  
"Dere, com'on le's git to de gym, eh?" Remy tossed the burnt pencil back on the floor.  
  
Tate smiled, her fangs making the image more frightening than pleasant. "I swear, you came just for the gym."  
  
"Oh, chere, y' wound me! Y' know Remy came for de food as well as de gym."  
  
Tate's smile immediately disappeared, replaced by the face one makes when trying not to laugh.  
  
"Uh oh, looks like Remy gon' get dat money, non?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"NO."  
  
"YES."  
  
"Argh! Let's go."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good bye."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're being annoying."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm walking out the door...."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're going to get punched."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm not going to talk to you for a week."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're an idiot."  
  
"No."  
  
Sigh. "I give up!"  
  
". . . . ."  
  
"Good. Now let's --"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"ARGH!! REEEEMMMYYY!!"  
  
Remy couldn't hold it in any longer, he doubled over with laughter.  
  
Tate stomped over to the bed, picked up a math book, aimed it at his head and fired.  
  
Still laughing, " Ouch! 'ey, what was dat for?"  
  
"Good bye...." Tate started walking out the door.  
  
Remy scrambled up to his feet, "Ok, ok, ok, Remy's comin'." __________________________  
  
"Did you, like, hear about the new students?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"WELL?"  
  
"Well, wahat?" Kitty rolled her eyes and sighed, "Well, like, duh, one of them is a boy!" "An' this is importahnt, why?"  
  
"Fine, whatever, you like, don't want to be interested, then don't be."  
  
"Gee, Ah'm glad Ah have yerh permission, Kitty."  
  
Rogue looked at Kitty from her spot on the bed, she was lying down on her stomach reading a magazine with her gloved hand supporting her head.  
  
"Oh...fine! But don't, like, say I didn't warn you...I heard Jubilee say she saw them in the, like, gym a while ago, and she, like, says the guy is HOT. But if you're not interested....."  
  
Rogue gave her a bored, blank stare. "Ok, I like, get it. You're not interested."  
  
Rogue turned her attention back to the magazine she was reading. ~Dang! Ah lost mah place again! Sheez, just when Ah think Ah'm gonna get some peace an' quite ahround here, Kitty ahlways pokes her head in! Ah hope she goes away soon... Maybe she'll find that new guy and drool over him for ah while.~  
  
______________________  
  
"Do you think we made a wise choice, Professor? The girl seems to have so much anger inside her." "I'm afraid only time will tell, Ororo." The two teachers were sitting in the kitchen.  
  
"I don't think Tate really trusts anyone except Remy...and to what extent, who knows?"  
  
"I agree with you, but we must give her time. Seven years alone on the streets with her mutations would have made her distrustful of anyone, I find it amazing that she let Remy in."  
  
"Yes, he does seem to have a strong bond with her...but really Charles, do you think it wise to lie to the other students about them?"  
  
"No, I don't see anything wrong with telling the students they are siblings. In a very real sense, they ARE. They do indeed have a strong bond, that's what kept them alive for so long. If they didn't care for each other so much, they would have never survived. In all truthfullness, I believe they believe they are brother and sister, and really, that is all that matters at this point in time when healing is the most important thing."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right. They do need each other as a way to heal whatever damage they have...but still, what if the feelings towards each other go from brotherly to romantic? What then? The students already know that you've kept information from them in the past, if you continue, do you really think they are going to trust you? Even for something as small as this?"  
  
"Well, Ororo, that is a chance that I must take." ____________________  
  
"Hey, Red, where're those new students?" Jean and Amara looked up from the couch in the rec room where they had been prevously trying out knitting. Now they were trying to untangle themselves from a mess of green yarn.  
  
"Uh...*pulls a string* I think I heard *pulls a string* Jubilee say something.... about seeing them in the *pulls a string* gym a while ago...*pulls another string, makes a bigger knot* ARGH!" Logan raised an eyebrow and shook his head. He never understood why women had to try their hand at knitting --- not when you could buy the darned thing already made at a store.  
  
Logan left the two girls to deal with the green monster they were creating and walked towards the gym. He could have just used his sense of smell to find them, but since they had been all around the mansion with the fuzz ball it wouldn't have done much good. Faster to ask someone since he was in a hurry.  
  
The scent was definitely stronger in the gym, but the two were no longer in there. He heard noise from outside and looked out the window, a one-sided grin appearing as he watched the two sparing on the grass.  
  
Still grining he made his way downstairs and outside to watch from the tree line, not wanting to distract them. Plenty of time for that later, when they spared with him. Those two were pretty good. A little rough here and there, with the boy, nothing a little instruction couldn't fix. The girl, however, wasn't hardley kicking at him. Mostly punches and leg sweeps. A couple of roundhouse kicks to the stomach and head, but that was it. She also seemed to be a bit off-balance.  
  
But she was fast too. Really fast. So fast that Logan never noticed the reason for her balance and kick problem. So fast that he barley had time to register when she shot up from the ground like a bat out of hell, (no pun intended) and flew straight up for a few 100 feet before turning a sharp sumersault and dived straight towards him.  
  
_______________________________________ (AN: *Dodges flying tomatos and spoiled eggs* Sorry about the out-of-characterness of Logan there! I just HAD to put the thing in with the yarn and I couldn't think of any other way! Mom note: My mom says if you don't like it, you need to get a life.) Anyways people, you know the drill. GET OVER HERE AND REVIEW MY FIC! NOW! heheh....uh...please? If any of you want to see certain mutants make an appearance every now and then, please feel free to ask for 'em. I just used Amara in this chapter because I needed someone else and I didn't think Jubilee or the Irish girl, what's-her-name, would be caught knitting. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. Ohh....should I get Scooter-boy in on the knitting stuff?? Reader votes! woohoo!  
  
This is Furry Elf, signing off with another chapter completed. Peace, Out! _________________________________________________ 


	3. What Lies Beneath The Mask

___________________What Lies Beneath...The Mask__________________  
  
AN: First off, I just want to thank my readers for baring with me and being patient while I struggled with the last chapter. And second of all, I want to thank my new readers for leaving a review to let me know that you read it. I wonder if some people don't leave a review?? Evil people!!! hehehhe!! *Cough* So, anyways, not much that you wouldn't expect I guess.  
  
PS: Just so you know, I'm crazy. heheheheh....I'll make you a character in my fics and make you do all sorts of crazy stuff...bwahhahah!! And another thing: If the spacing is all weird and the lines that show scene changes are messed up: IT AIN'T MY FAULT! I put it in right but the web site messes it up!! I'm Innocent I tell you! Oh, and the quote from my muse is real. She said that on the phone to me last Tuesday. I tell ya, the world is full of crazy people. In fact I'm one of them...have I mentioned this? Oh, I have? Oh dear, I think I'm losing my memory too...  
  
Muse PS: "Furry Elf, I need to be institutionalized! I've been talking to 3 people at once on the phone, I'm NOT watching Smallville with Clark *drool,* and is the legal limit of Advil 30 capsules?"  
  
Muse name: Gambit Girl 2006. Gambit Girl would like me to place an ad here on her behalf. She would like the readers and writers to know that she is available for musing. In other words. You need a muse, Email her: mhoneycu@felpsis.net Tell her Furry Elf sent ya.  
  
(jay): Thanks so much for reviewing! It's nice to have some people who are so happy about something I did! I'll apologize in advance if it takes me more than 2 weeks to get the next chapter, life is a wee bit hectic 'round here. :)  
  
Miou: Yeah, German rocks! Help would be so kühl! I'll leave my addy in the bottom of this chapter so you can email me. : : :  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone except Sight. But you already knew that, right? Well, I'm telling ya again. So there. Don't own any of the X-Men or other Marvel stuff. Not making any money offa this *sigh*. Please don't sue me.  
  
~ thinking ~ telephathy ^^ flashback ^^ # dream #  
  
_____________________  
  
~ Man, I really didn't want to havta do this, ~ was all Logan had time to think before setting his stance firm and putting both hands over his head to catch Tate's wrists. He used her momentum to twist and slam her into the base of one of the many tall oaks on the property. She hit her head hard and went unconscious. Her wings, since her mind had been temporarily shut down, slid into her back once more.  
  
He heard quick steps behind him and turned to talk to Remy only to get a faceful of exploding pebbles and twigs. "Y' be leavin' de petite alone now, homme."  
  
Remy had already pulled out four cards from the deck that he kept in one of the deep pockets of his trench coat. He held them between his fingers and charged them up, ready to throw.  
  
Logan growled more in annoyance than pain and reflexively unsheathed his claws. The sound of metal on metal was unmistakable.  
  
Remy stoped his advance and cocked his head at the claws that had become a new appendage. He turned his red and black eyes back to Logans' face, saw the healing flesh, and gave him a cocky smirk. "Y' be de Wolverine, oui? S'ormy said Remy should be watchin' out for y', guess Remy don' listen good, eh?" Logan half-grinned and let his claws slide back inside his arms, the wounds, as always, healing instantly, leaving not a scar.  
  
"Ya got that right, kid. You better be sure yer on my good side before you stop lookin' over yer shoulder fer me."  
  
"Oui, Remy'll do dat. An' y' betta be doin' the same." A few seconds of regarding each other passed before they heard the moan that came from Tate.  
  
"Ugh....Ouch." Logan moved aside to let Remy help a scowling Tate to a standing position.  
  
"Someone care to explain why Remy hasn't blasted you to kingdom come?"  
  
"Remy don' t'ink the professeur would be lettin' us stay if Remy be blowing up de teachers."  
  
"Ah, the Wolverine, correct?" A nod from Logan. "Huh...I thought you were a feral."  
  
"One of the best."  
  
"Really? Then how is it that I managed to sense you so quickly?"  
  
Logan didn't say anything. How did she sense him?  
  
"That's what I thought. Please be sure to watch your step from now on. Those who hide for seemingly no reason, almost always seem to have a secret to hide.  
  
With that, Tate stalked off back into the mansion, dragging Remy with her. He shot a smile over his shoulder that didn't reach his eyes. Logan narrowed his for a moment.  
  
~ Tough girl, ~ he thought. Logan smiled.  
  
_______________  
  
As Tate and Remy were entering the mansion again, they met up with Professor.  
  
"Ah, there you are Tate, I was just looking for you."  
  
Tate and Remy stopped just inside the doorway.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I have something for you...I think you might like it." He hands her a rectangle box.  
  
"What is this for?"  
  
"You'll see," he said cryptically.  
  
Tate opened the box and pulled out, "A watch?" Puzzled, Tate turned her head in Xaviers' direction. Remy too, seemed perplexed. "What am I going to use a watch for?"  
  
"Put it on, you'll find out." Breathing out heavily, Tate managed to get the watch on her left wrist. "Well?" Xavier keyed his chair closer and pushed two buttons on the side of the watch at the same time. There was a beep and Tates' image became that of a young -- normal looking -- girl in her teens. Remy took a sharp intake of breath.  
  
"What is dis, Professeur?" "What? What's going on?"  
  
"The watch you are wearing, Tate, is a holoimager. It's the same designe that Kurt uses to go to school without anyone seeing his fur or eyes. In other words, you don't look like a mutant any more."  
  
"Wow, Remy wish y' could see y'self, petite.... Y' got dark blue eyes, and y' hair is blonde."  
  
"Perhaps she can see herself... would you like to?"  
  
"How?" "If you give me permission to enter your mind, you could see yourself through my eyes, or Remys' for that matter."  
  
"Right.... just let you into my mind so you can do whatever you want to my mind? Go poking around in dark corners that you don't belong in? I don't think so."  
  
"No, I would never alter someones mind...."  
  
"Save it, Xavier. For someone who'll listen." Xavier sat back in his chair, defeated.  
  
"Very well, I won't push the matter." Tate took the watch off her arm. "Don't need it anyways. I ain't going to school."  
  
"We'll see about that, young lady."  
  
"Non, Professor, y' got 'er wrong.... she don' mean she ain' goin' ta school.... she jus' mean she ain' got a reason ta. She finished 'er schooling three years 'go now. Remy think de petite be bored at de school."  
  
"I see." The Professor didn't look very convinced at all.  
  
"Very well. Then you shall both begin training exercises with Logan tomorrow morning while the others are at school."  
  
_____________________  
  
(Next Day)  
  
"Chuck, I need to talk to ya." The man known only as Logan had just walked into Xaviers' office after a 2 hour long training session with Remy and Tate.  
  
He was sweating heavily, though he had a towel around his neck. His practice uniform was shredded to a thousand pieces.  
  
Charles put down the paper he had been grading and sat forward, hands forming the trademark steeple. Giving the older man his full attention. ~ This should be interesting. ~  
  
"Something ain't right about that girl." Xavier raised an eyebrow.  
  
Breathing out, Logan took a seat. "She's messed up in the head I think. She'll be fine and happy one moment, then angry and lashin' out at everyone the next. Remy seems to pretty much ignore it, but I can tell he's worried about her."  
  
Logan waited for Charles to say something, when he didn't, he continued.  
  
"She's a good fighter, when she found out about my healing factor, she had no problem whatsoever about kicking me in the gut. Or usin' her claws. She can fly pretty well off, needs more endurance though. Probably could stand to gain a few pounds, like Remy.  
  
"She ain't afraid to hurt people. She's afraid of lettin' 'em in. I'm thinkin', the only person she would never hurt, even in her sleep, would be Remy. She's a hunter. A fighter. And she's scared. A scared animal is /not/ something you mess around with or provoke. She gets into a corner and she gets defensive. She'll protect Remy, no doubt, but I don't think she's always there, in her head all the time. She may not harm him, but she might harm one of the other students or teachers."  
  
Logan stopped. Xavier regarded him for a moment. This was the most he'd ever heard Logan speak in one sitting. Other than training lectures that is.  
  
Logan was right though. Charles himself had thought of these dangers, but still had felt the need to bring her in. He was certain that all she needed was the right mentor.  
  
Charles smiled at this thought. Logan looked at him quizzically.  
  
"Well Logan, you have not stated anything that I would not have already known or suspected about our guest. You are correct, she is like a frightened creature. Which is why I put her with you. Doesn't she remind you of a certain someone not to long ago? With the right training and mentorship, she could become quite pleasant company."  
  
Logan gave him a look that could only be described as pure disbelief.  
  
"You sayin' I gotta baby-sit the kid?"  
  
"Well... I wasn't going to use that job description, but yes, I am."  
  
Logan snorted. "No way."  
  
"Logan - " Xavier started, but Logan stood up, cutting him off, "I ain't no baby-sitter. And I sure as heck ain't no mentor fer that kid. Ya want her slicin' everybodys heads off when I get done with her? Just 'cause she's got an attitude problem, don't mean I gotta be the one to get her ta snap outta it."  
  
Logan had already turned to walk away, but Xavier wasn't done talking yet.  
  
"Logan." He stopped. And instantly wished he hadn't. Something about the way Xavier could say one word and make it sound like a command. Mentally reminding himself to kick himself in the rear later, he turned back around to face Charles.  
  
"Logan," he said again, all force gone from his voice this time, "She needs help from someone who can relate to her. She's a loner. Therefore she needs another like herself to talk to. I fell that she hides things from even Remy. He grew up around family, around people, and, if you could call it that, he grew up around love.  
  
"Tate grew up in hate, in solitary, alone. He can't possibly know how to react to every single thing she does or says. You can. And you won't be in danger of death."  
  
The last part Charles said with a glimmer of humor in his eyes. He could tell that Logan still wasn't convinced though. He needed to say something else, one more thing and Logan would be convinced, he knew it.  
  
"Besides, she would be a great sparing partner when she gets mad. You said yourself that she isn't afraid to hurt you, that she gets backed into a corner and gets defensive. You start talking to her, trying to get in, get through to her and she WILL back into that corner. She WILL get defensive. She WILL fight you."  
  
Logan stared at him long and hard. Then he got up and walked out of the room. Closing the door firmly behind him.  
  
Professor Charles Fransis Xavier smiled.  
  
________  
  
Inside Tate's new room in the womens wing, Tate and Remy were sitting on her bed talking.  
  
"You didn't have to lie to him."  
  
"Eh, Oh well. It jus' be one 'lil lie, petite. Nobody gonna get hurt from it, non?"  
  
"Besides, Remy, he be the master of lies."  
  
"No doubt about that."  
  
Silence.  
  
"So, what Tate t'ink of dis place?"  
  
"It's big. Too many windows. We're gonna have to talk to someone about puttin' a strip of tape or something on them. I'm afraid I'm gonna walk right through one."  
  
"Oui, Remy be right on dat one. Y'r wish is Remy's command."  
  
Tate grinned. "Sure, you're my magic genie."  
  
"Oui, but y' get more dan trois wish t'ough." Remy smiled at her, even though he knew she couldn't see it. She always said that she could feel it somehow.  
  
That's how it was in the beginning, when they first met. That's exactly what she'd said to him - right after he'd given her a good trouncing. The small train of thought grabbed more cars and kept on going uphill. Stopping to open the doors of many memories of days long past. Memories, he'd sooner forget than look at again.  
  
  
  
But sometimes, you don't get to pick and choose your life.  
  
  
  
Sometimes your life chooses you.  
  
  
  
^^ Remy was climbing out of the skylight that these rich people had just installed in their fancy home. He said a silent thank-you to them for making his job that much easier. Skylights were the easiest in the world to get through. While regular windows were wired from the inside, skylights were wired on the outside. Yes, this made Remy's job much easier.  
  
Although the racket all those people on the street were making wasn't helping at all (he'd had to cut his "shopping" short because the people in the house were waking up), but then again, they might help. With all the noise and excitement going down on the street... who would think to check for anything stolen at 2:00 in the morning?  
  
Remy smiled. Yes, tonight was a good night.  
  
His smile disappeared however as the sounds of the crowd drew closer. Too close.  
  
He quickly walked, silent as a cat to the edge of the roof and checked out the scene.  
  
He almost fell off the roof from all the anger seething from the crowd below. Did he mention this little empathy thing he had going on? Either he was tired or the crowd below him was really, really, REALLY angry.  
  
"Merde, i' looks like a wi'ch-hunt down dere." And indeed it did. Even to the casual observer, one could tell quite plainly that this group of people was out for blood.  
  
Mutant Blood.  
  
"Com'on outta dere girlie.... we ain't gonna hurt ya none, we jus wan'a talk wi'cha"  
  
The man speaking was from the hotel down the street that gave the left- overs to the street kids. Henri Couge. Remy knew this man. He was always careful not to let him see his eyes. Wearing sunglasses on even the darkest of days. Claiming he had eye problems.  
  
This man was a racist. The worst that Remy knew. If you didn't speak Yat[1], you steered clear of him. And if you were black, you made SURE you didn't come within a 100 yards of HIS hotel.  
  
Yes, Remy knew this man well.  
  
Before Jean-Luc had adopted him.  
  
Before the Guild.  
  
This man was trouble. And if he had bothered to get up at 2:00 in the morning, to talk with a girl (whom he guessed was hiding in the alley besides him), to get a group of people together with.... was that a gun? Yes, it was a gun. Several guns. And anything else these people had handy to slash and bash.  
  
~ Dis ain' gonna turn out well. ~  
  
"Yeah, com'on out girl, we ain' gonna do nuttin' to ya...."  
  
This from a woman only 5 years older than Remy himself. Remy was 16.  
  
He shivered. That could be him down there, if not for a simple thing called genetics.  
  
He still found it hard to believe that something so small as DNA could make such a big difference in his life. He shook his head. Now was not the time for spacing out and examining his life.  
  
He needed to get down from this roof without being seen by this mob. Had it been in the day time, it wouldn't have been so hard. But at night, sunglasses would draw too much attention and his eyes always seemed to glow slightly when he was upset.  
  
Remy LeBeau was definitely upset.  
  
Remy checked out the scene below again. A few the people in the crowd had separated and were walked cautiously into the mouth of the alley.  
  
A piercing, almost inadible scream filled the air. He backed away from the edge of the roof, his hands to his ears. The people who had started towards the alley ran back out, screaming. Blood was trickling down the sides of their heads.  
  
Their eardrums had burst.  
  
Glass was breaking into thousands of pieces everywhere: Shop windows, house windows, cars, reading glasses, everything.  
  
The mob was in a panic now. Running everywhere.  
  
"Remy." He could barely hear the voice over the screaming of the mob below. ^^  
  
"Remy." Came that voice again. He looked up, startled.  
  
Tate was looking at him expectantly. He realized she had been talking to him and he hadn't heard a word she'd said. Remy was grateful she couldn't see his face at the moment. Even though he knew she would be able to feel his embarrassment, he was still glad she couldn't see him.  
  
Embarrassment makes you do funny things with your face that aren't at all charming.  
  
He smiled all the same, "Sorry, chere, y' were sayin'?"  
  
She gave him a funny look. "I said I don't like the way Xavier keeps tryin' to get inta my head. He's always looking at everything I say and do from a hundred angles. It's worse than being poked at by a doctor. Which, by the way reminds me that he said we HAD to see someone called McCoy for an evaluation. e-Valuation, sounds like figurin' out how much something is worth to sell."  
  
"Yeah, Remy know, chere. He be seein' da way the Professeur be talkin' like he can tell us what, when, where, an' how, but we gotta stick to it, petite. If we don', den t'ings gon' get mighty hard f'r us."  
  
Tate sighed, and slightly moved her head. Remy didn't even need his empathy to know this one. She was rolling her eyes.  
  
You stay with someone long as they had and you learn all those little things that show what the mood of the other person is. Most of the time you don't even realize that you're doing something. But others notice.  
  
Tate knew about Remy's reason for cracking jokes at strange times. He only did that when he was nervous.  
  
His walk, and how his voice would lower a few octaves when he was charming someone.  
  
His normal strut has a certain little hop to it that no one else has.  
  
He knew about how her voice would suddenly get a slight slur to it when she was annoyed. How her eyelids would lower only a fraction of a centimeter when she didn't believe what was being said.  
  
Normally, she would walk with her back straight, knees slightly bent and head tilted down with her hands showing her the way.  
  
When she was in a mood, her stance would deepen, her eyes widened and she held her head up and titled to the side.  
  
These things they knew. But that was on the outside. They knew many things about the inside too.  
  
Like how Remy had to make his way on the streets. How he can't stand to see children on the streets because he knows EXACTLY what they do to survive.  
  
How Tate was beaten countless times because she was a mutant. First by her family, then by complete strangers on the streets. This is why she doesn't like crowds.  
  
Yes. They knew each well.  
  
That is why Remy worries about Tate.  
  
That is why Tate is so distrustful.  
  
  
  
Why he always has a comment and acts the way he does around others.  
  
  
  
Why she always keeps them out, and fights every helping hand.  
  
Because they know that in the end, They can't trust themselves to do what's right.  
  
________________  
  
"Can you, like, believe the Professor actually, like, put her next door?"  
  
"Ah know. Ah don't understahnd ehither, but, " Rogue looked uncertainly at Kitty, " it's HIS choice, not ohurs."  
  
"Who says? Why do we, like, have to put up with HER attitude problem? I mean, come on, does the Professor, like, really think she's just going to, like, WANT to be friends?"  
  
"Oui, why DOES the Professeur want Remys' sister, Tate 'round y' two?"  
  
Both Rogue and Kitty whirled around on the couch in the rec room where they had been talking. Remy was leaning against the door frame in a seemingly casual manner, a small smile on his face, but his eyes were burning.  
  
Rogue and Kitty just gaped open mouthed at him. Both were thinking the same thing: They hadn't heard him coming. And that they were in big trouble now.  
  
"Uh.... I, like... um... I....just.... we wern't....uh...."  
  
"We, just..... were...uhh...." Rogue stopped and looked sheepishly at Remy, "Geez, we're ahful sorry. We shouldn't have been tahlking laik thaht....sorry." she looked down, completely embarrassed to be even thinking of someone like she was Tate.  
  
If anything, SHE should know that sometimes you just wanted some space, no matter how snappy at others you got to get it.  
  
Kitty had closed her mouth and was thinking of something she could say along the lines that Rogue had, but found that she had forgotten how to use her mouth. Instead, she just looked down at her hands in her lap.  
  
Remy looked at them both for a minute, wondering if he should let down his walls and let them actually FEEL his anger, not just see it. He mentally shook his head. He didn't want to give them a reason to hate him too.  
  
He could work on them about Tate. A little. The rest would be up to Tate of course.  
  
Remy pushed off the door frame and picked up one of the untouched sodas on the table in front of the Big-screen TV.  
  
He didn't say a word as he walked out again to find one of the adults to ask about the windows.  
  
Rogue and Kitty just looked at each other.  
  
~ I can't, like, believe it! The cutest guy in the mansion and I had to, like, get him mad at me the very first day he's here! ~  
  
~ Ah swear, Ah'm NEVEAH gonna talk bad 'bout someone in public ahgain! Oh, he seemed laik such a nice guy too.... guess ya neveah can tell. ~  
  
Rogue got up first and went outside to be alone.  
  
Kitty phased upstairs to their shared room and put on some music.  
  
None of the three ever spoke of the incident again.  
  
_______________  
  
  
  
Logan was upstairs looking for Tate when Kitty appeared - literally- right under his feet. He didn't say anything to her and kept on walking. He really, REALLY didn't want to do this.  
  
There wasn't a light on in Tate's room and door was closed, so he knocked loudly.  
  
"Come in, Logan." That strange, throaty voice. He tried the doorknob and found it unlocked.  
  
The room was pitch black, a heavy curtain had been put over the large window.  
  
He closed the door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness.  
  
She was sitting in the far left corner of the room. Facing the other corner. One hand lifted slightly to look at him, though her face remained unturned.  
  
"Something you wanted?"  
  
"Yeah, but first, how'd you know it was me? Got a good sense of smell?"  
  
"No, I heard you on the stair case. You have very loud footsteps. And no one in this place would bang on the door like you do.  
  
"Huh, right. Well, Chuck said we need ta have a little heart-to-heart," Tate snorted at this news. She'd expected as much from Xavier. Unperturbed, Logan went on, "I ain't thrilled about the idea anymore than you are, darlin', so lets just get this over with."  
  
She shifted, facing him. Waiting for him to go on.  
  
"Chuck seems to think that since we're both ferals, and loners, that we'll get along just peachie. I ain't sayin' that's my view, but I have ta agree that we COULD do some good fer each other."  
  
Tate said nothing.  
  
"If anything, Chuck thinks we'll be good sparing partners."  
  
Still, Tate said nothing.  
  
"Look kid, I already told ya I don't like the idea. But it's either that or you get to spend some quality time with the rest of the kids in the mansion. What's it gonna be?"  
  
Tate stood up and walked right up to Logan. They were almost the same height.  
  
She held out her hand to him. He shook it, then turned towards the door.  
  
Before he closed it he said, "Meet me in the Danger Room tomorrow, at 4 a.m. sharp." Without another word he closed the door firmly behind him.  
  
Tate walked to the table set beside the bed in the room. She didn't think of the room as 'hers'. There was a special clock that showed the time in rotating, raised numbers.  
  
It was 8:30. Well past the winter sunset. She opened her window and lightly jumped onto the railing of the balcony.  
  
A quick look, a deep breath and she jumped off, her wings ripping through her skin as she fell, catching the air in time to keep her from meeting the ground.  
  
She flew straight up for several minutes. Until the air was just thick enough to breath, and stay aloft in, but thin enough to empty her mind.  
  
She did this often, flying up to the highest point and letting her mind go hazy and sluggish. She liked it. It gave her a certain feeling afterwards that she couldn't quite name.  
  
She never knew how long she would stay up there, just flying, slowly, not thinking, not quite feeling. Just being. It was wonderful and dangerous at the same time.  
  
It was the one thing she could truly call 'hers'.  
  
Her own personal,  
  
  
  
free,  
  
  
  
- LEGAL -  
  
  
  
drug.  
  
  
  
Forgetting was one good thing.  
  
Remy was another good thing.  
  
But remembering? Tate's memories weren't the best. Even the last few months with Remy, there were a few times she would sooner forget.  
  
  
  
One didn't remember his far past, only his present past. The other, remembers everything. Every fist, every cut, Every. Drop. Of. Blood.  
  
Both want to forget a lot of things. Both try to remember some things. Neither tries to hang onto everything.  
  
Because the one thing that neither Tate nor Logan realized about Professor Xavier's true agenda in putting these two loners together was that our past, and our present, shape who we will become in our future.  
  
Therefore, if we erase our past, where does our future come from?  
  
_________________________________  
  
Whew! Done. *takes a bow* That. Took. For-ever! And yes, I know, I am also working on my Perfect Match... still... *sigh*  
  
But anywho... hope ya'll liked this chapter. I'm trying to kinda get outta the humorous stuff... (leave that for cameos of Bobby and Jubilee *wink wink*), and trying to really get deep in the main being of Logan and Tate. Possibly Remy as well. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a whole phsye ayalises of EVERYONE. *faints from the strain already* Guess that's all.. Review please! Tell me if I'm getting too dark or if I'm too light.... should I try to get Tate outside in public? Or should I keep her in her dark corners?? What do ya think? (Please note that I'm trying to get reactions to ideas and such... "do you think this goes with the character and such")  
  
Later Days!  
  
________________________________________ 


	4. Blind Rage

Apologies!!!! I'm very sorry! In the last chapter when Remy was thinking of when he first met Tate, I had a part about speaking "Yat[1]" and I didn't put the reason for it at the bottom!!! *puppy dog eyes* forgive me??  
  
[1] Yat : The language of the ragin' Cajun. Slang: "Where Ya At?" (i.e. Texas-style "Howdy!" meaning: "How ya doing?")  
  
Sorry for not putting that at the end of the last chapter..... *sigh* I guess I was just to excited that I actually FINISHED the durn thing that I forgot I even PUT a reference to Yat in there..... again, of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. Soz people.  
  
_ Stupid Mandatory Disclaimer: I own Tate aka Sight. I own the story line. I DON'T own the X-Men or any of the related characters. There. I'm done. _  
  
AN: This chapter is really gonna focus in on Tate and Logan... maybe Remy as well.... I'm not sure on that one just yet. I seriously doubt the development of a romance fic here, but if ya want to see it that way... well... whatever floats your boat.....  
  
______________________________Blind Rage________________________________  
  
He knew she liked fighting him. He knew she didn't mind getting hurt, nor did she mind dealing out the hurt. He knew about all this 'outside' stuff... but he needed to know about the 'inside' stuff.  
  
Logan also knew, that in order to get Tate to open up, HE would have to open up. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. He wasn't exactly looking forward to it.  
  
Tate wasn't any more willing about the situation than Logan was, but still, she knew what was going to happen. Neither one wanted to admit it though.  
  
Maybe they would just skip the 'talking' part today. It didn't work so well the last time. Not that he'd expected anything less though.  
  
The first day they started early in the morning, before any of the other students were awakened for school. Yes, that Thursday had been.... well, interesting, to say the least.  
  
Logan was at the Danger Room, leaning against the huge metal doors, suited up for all-out combat, and ready, as usual, before Tate arrived wearing biker shorts and a tank top.  
  
"Ya really think ya gonna keep yer hide in one piece wearin' THAT?"  
  
"Most people say 'Good morning', or 'Hello', when someone walks into a room."  
  
"Yeah? I ain't most people."  
  
"So I have noticed. Are we going to stand here and talk about manners all morning? I thought we were supposed to train together."  
  
Logan grinned and keyed in the code to open the thick doors to the Danger Room.  
  
"Nope, you're gonna to fight the room, and I'm gonna watch."  
  
"Excuse me while I jump for joy."  
  
Logan just shook his head and stood to the side to let Tate pass into what some of the students called the 'Death Trap' and 'Population Control'.  
  
Bobby had even put up a vote for a "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here" plaque over the doors.  
  
"First, obstacle course. Real simple. Ya start here," He pointed to the area in front of him, "And go through a zig-zag pattern to get to the opposite end, where you'll climb the pole and remove the flag. After that, I'll set up courses based on yer skill level. Ready?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Then let the fun begin."  
  
The doors slid closed with an echoing "clank" as Logan climbed the stairs to the control booth. A few keystrokes later and the room was transformed into a jungle of obstacles, including a timed 'bash and slash'.  
  
Basically, metal blocks slamming into each other, and a large blade swinging from the ceiling.  
  
There were also several laser guns to avoid, and an intricate 'monkey bar' set. Only the bars at the park never had electric currents running through them.  
  
Tate surveyed the room with her hands for a few minutes, working out a plan in advance. As an afterthought she asked, "Is there a time limit?"  
  
Wolverines' voice sounded through the speakers, "Not on the first run. Be sure that the next ones will though."  
  
Tate smiled, then took off running for the first challenge.  
  
__________________________________  
  
"But why do *I* have to put the stupid tape on the windows??"  
  
"Stop complaining and just do it!"  
  
"Hah, your one to talk! You got the easy job! 'Dusting the artwork', as I recall."  
  
"It's not like it's that hard of a job to just put a strip of tape on the windows!!"  
  
"Yeah! Right! There's only like, a million and a half windows in the mansion!"  
  
"You only need to put it on the areas that she's gonna be in, stupid!"  
  
"And do you know what areas those just happen to be, Miss know-it-all?"  
  
"Yeah, real simple, block-head! The womens' wing, the main hall way, the areas around the elevators, and the dinning room! She doesn't go anywhere else!"  
  
"Oh, yeah? How do you know? They've only been here for three days!"  
  
Jubilee smirked. "I asked Remy."  
  
Bobby scoffed and stalked off, before he rounded the corner at the end of the hallway he called out over his shoulder at her, "Bet I finish before you do!"  
  
With that, he took off running, his laughter echoing down the halls.  
  
Jubilee clenched her fists at her sides and fought to keep her power in control.  
  
~ One of these days, Bobby.... one of these days.... ~  
  
Turning in a huff, she too ran down the hallway to start the dusting process. . .  
  
Oh, did I mention? She and Bobby were 'doing time' for one of their pranks gone awry.  
  
__________________________________  
  
The sound of a body crashing, full speed into a metal wall is _never_ pleasant.  
  
Logan fell face down the floor the Danger Room. Catching himself with his arms just in time to keep his face from smashing into the ground. His claws slid back into his arms.  
  
He looked up, breathing hard, to where Tate was still standing a good 50 feet away.  
  
"Are we done yet? We've been in here for 3 hours already, and I'm about ready to eat the metal in this room."  
  
"That all ya got to say? How'd ya do that?"  
  
Tate sighed and fixed him with a look that if you could see her eyes would have been one of explaining something to a child -- or repeating it for the hundredth time.  
  
"Practice."  
  
"Oh yeah? Who ya practice on? Remy? He'd be dead by now if ya did."  
  
Tate stood still, looked straight at him with her arms at her sides. I guess it isn't right to say she was looking at him. Her hands weren't facing him at all.  
  
Logan had stood up and walked right up to her until they were no more than two feet apart. He feigned a grab at her, and she immediately stepped back. Her hands still weren't raised.  
  
He closed the distance between them again. "I'll ask again, who do ya practice with? Who taught ya this stuff?" Tate remained silent. Logan stepped closer. "Ya ain't leavin' this room until I get an answer outta ya, one way or the other." Tate's face was twitching -- a sure sign that she was close to losing her temper. Although Logan had smelled her anger long before. One more push and she would boil over, lash out.  
  
Only Logan had expected her to lash out at him, not the objects around them.  
  
Tate left the Danger Room in a mess. Everything close by her was reduced to ragged ribbons.  
  
When the security code didn't work on the key pad -- Logan had used his own -- she held her hand over it until the smoking wires melted from the subsonic frequencies.  
  
The doors opened with a hiss and she stalked out.  
  
Logan shook his head and followed a few minutes after, Bobby and Jubilee had been up to something the day before and would be in charge of cleaning up the Danger Room.  
  
As he stepped into the elevator, he tried to figure out what he could about her. About what she said. Or didn't say, to be more accurate.  
  
When he'd first saw them sparring together, they were mostly on the same level. Anyone would have gone on the assumption that Remy had taught Tate. Or they both learned from the same person.  
  
But now Logan could see that wasn't true. Or if it was, it was only half the story. Tate showed a lot of street fighting moves. Nothing real formal -- or fair, in some cases.  
  
She knew how to fight dirty, but added to that was the fact that she KNEW she was fighting dirty. She KNEW how to fight fair, but choose not to.  
  
As Logan stepped out of the elevator on the upper floor on the mansion, he came the conclusion that anyone would have.  
  
The street taught Tate how to fight, and Remy refined her.  
  
This also brought Logan back to an observation he'd made a long time ago.  
  
They weren't siblings. Anyone with heightened senses could have told you that. Had they been related by blood, their scents would be similar, plus, she didn't talk like Remy.  
  
Remy grew up in New Orleans, he talked like a Cajun. Tate talked almost as well as Xavier did.  
  
Nothing about her really made much sense. Logan decided to have a talk with Remy later.  
  
As he headed towards the dinning room, a few of the students were still running around, getting last minute homework together. Scott beeped the horn on his car impatiently. Logan grinned. It was a wonder any of the kids ever got to school on time.  
  
When he got to the dinning room, Tate was nowhere in sight. Although her scent still lingered in the room. She must have taken her breakfast to her room, he thought as he helped himself and ate.  
  
_________________________ Today was different, though Tate still showed signs of hostility towards him. Her countenance all but dared him to ask again. He didn't. When she saw he wasn't going to, she relaxed a little. Not a lot, but a little.  
  
They went through several different training courses that day; against each other, working together, solo.  
  
Against each other, they were a good match. Working together took a little more work, but they managed.  
  
He asked her about Remy. She seemed to be okay on that subject, but it didn't calm her down any. If anything she was more on alert than when he'd asked her about herself.  
  
During one of their breaks, Logan suddenly switched subjects completely.  
  
He asked her what she wanted to be.  
  
She blinked at him.  
  
"Remembered." She finally said. He asked her why. "My family didn't want me. They've done their best to forget about me."  
  
"What about Remy? He's yer brother, ain't he?"  
  
Tate shrugged. "That's different." Logan didn't push. Today had been mostly good, there was no reason to mess it up.  
  
He checked the time. 9:37am. They'd been at it for more than three hours.  
  
"Let's hit the showers and eat. We've done enough for today."  
  
Tate nodded and picked up the gear. She suddenly looked very tired.  
  
Logan rested a hand on her shoulder for a moment. The kid had had it rough, Remy seemed to be the only bright spot in her world.  
  
She followed him out in silence. And later ate in silence. Logan didn't bother her. He knew what it was like to just want to be left alone by everything and everyone.  
  
Later that day he thought he could make out the shape of something flying high above the mansion.  
  
Whatever it was, it was too high for him to make out clearly.  
  
He dismissed it. Probably just a bird. _____________________________  
  
AN: Wow. I actually updated. ^_^;; I haven't been working. Haven't had anything to write! I almost had this chapter finished when I decided I didn't want a whole two parts the way I had them and I junked it. Took me a whole three days to re-write it. Add to that the fact that I was re-writing chapter one... ehh... long story short is I had a lot of distractions. R&R please!  
  
___________________________ 


	5. Talkin' About a Girl

  
  
  


OK! I HAVE UPDATED!!!!!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! I'm sure you are all fainting in shock right about now, as well. Believe me, when I finished this chapter, I just about fell out of my chair. So: Go. Read. Review. Demand faster updates. Magically make all my life disappear so I can have time to work on my stories. (Actually, the last one would be appreciated)

  


another note: wowies... the last time I looked at this files was well.... a long time ago. At least since I last posted.... O_O! I was depressed when I started writing this, and then for a while, had no inspiration, then was un-depressed, and now am depressed again for stuffs.... ayyyiiii.... *bangs head* 

  


But first. The disclaimer *WAH!*:: I DO NOT own Marvel or the X-Men. I DO NOT own the universe. I DO NOT own Gambit. I DO own Tate. I DO own the story line. I DO NOT like flames. (But no one's sent one yet, so why even mention it?) ^_^

  


Now then, Lady Bugs and Germs, I present to you for your reading pleasure tonight:

  


__________Talkin' About A Girl____________

  
  
  


Logan caught up with Remy as he came in the doors of the mansion from school. He needed to get some information about Tate from him if he could. He hoped Remy was more open than Tate.

  


"Remy, got a minute?" "Eh, sure, _mon amie_, what can Remy do f'r y?"

  


"Tell me about Tate." 

  


Remy sighed. "Remy be thinking dat's what da _homme_ wanted to talk 'bout."

  


"So you'll talk?" He ran his hand through his brown hair, "_Oui_, Remy tell you what he can."

  


(Mens Wing, Logan's Room)

  


"Have a seat," Logan said, gesturing to a chair. Remy did so, taking out a deck of cards to keep his hands busy. Logan sat on the bed.

  


Remy spoke first, "So, where d'y want Remy to start, _homme_?"

  


"I'm going to guess that you can't–or won't tell me about Tate's life before she met you. I know you ain't her blood brother, so start when you first met her."

  


Remy fixed his strange eyes on Logan. He took a deep breath and began.

  


"Remy, he meet Tate in Naw'Leans, Remy guess.... about 15 months ago.... Remy, he wasn't no angel then, hardly is one now, he was stealin' a necklace from some rich lady's house......"

  
  


^ ~ _Looks like de girl c'n take care of 'erself, Remy just be makin' his getaway now._ ~

  


He started to back away from the now scared mob below him. The emotions of the people down there were too strong to shield himself from. Hate. Anger. Fear. Disgust. And now, Pain.

  


The ones who's ears weren't bleeding, had been cut by exploding glass. It might actually be fun to watch, if Remy wasn't in so much danger himself.

  


Once out of sight of the people below, Remy stood up and started walking to the back of the house. There was another large house right behind this one. He could easily jump the roof.

  


Then, a sound behind him. An emotion he couldn't quite name tickled his brain.

  


He whipped around, already bring out his deck of cards.

  


No one.

  


At least, that's what he thought at first.

  


He could see a movement from the corner of his eye to his left. A hand.... with claws.

  


Someone— the mutant girl? was actually climbing the brick wall.

  


Then he started to notice the emotion more... it was fatigue. 

  


Suddenly, he felt nothing. 

  


Remy ran forward and caught the girl by the wrist. Her body was slack. Unconscious.

Another second, she would have fallen to her death. 

  


Remy pulled her up, laid her on the roof. She was breathing..... he got a good look at her then.

  


At first he had thought her skin was dark, but now he could see and feel it was fur. She had on what he could only guess was a robe. It was tattered, torn, faded. 

  


~ De _petite_ must'av been on de streets f'r long time now. ~

  


There was blood caked on her mouth. Someone must have hit her. Remy felt her for broken bones, didn't find any. But he was sure she was bruised badly.

  


He looked around desperate. He could make that jump alone. He couldn't make it holding on to someone. 

  


He left her then, to see about the fire escape. He might not get down unnoticed, but it was better than nothing.

  


Again, something was tickling his brain.... the girl....?

  


He turned to look at her, and everything went red.

  


~ _Guess de girly wasn't as unconscious as Remy thought._ ~ He picked himself up and wiped the blood from his lip.

  


"Now, now, dat ain't no way to be thankin' somebody who jus' saved y' life, is it?" He grinned at her. But not for long. Her eyes were open now, and he could see.... nothing. No color. 

  


She was crouched low, ready to pounce on him if he moved. He had a feeling those claws were sharp. ~ _Heck, de girl jus' climbed up de wall wit' dem, 'course dey gonna be sharp!_ ~

  


"Leave now, and I will let you live."

  


Once again, Remy was startled. No girlish voice here. Her voice was rough, coming from the back of her troat. Sounding unused.

  


"Remy can't be doing dat, _Chere. _Dere's a lot of angry people down there dat want y' dead, Remy t'inks you better be coming wit' him to someplace safe, _non_?"

  


"Leave."

  


Remy gave up. There wasn't going to be any talking to this girl. She wasn't about to change her mind.

  


He sighed, "Remy d'not wan' have ta do dis, _chere_, but y' leave him no choice."

  


He pulled out five cards, charged them up only half way and tossed them behind her. She jumped forward when they exploded.

  


Remy winced. Too much charge. They had made more noise than he wanted. The family in the house might realize something by now. He had hoped to get her away from the edge of the roof. Leave no room for argument. Well, one down anyway.

  


"Come on, _chere_, we need to leave, before the people see us, you c'n leave after dat, Remy promise."

  


Again, he could just barely feel her emotions. Fear, indecision. Normally, these kinds of emotion are strong. Loud. Often causing headaches. But this one was different. Just a tickle of emotion. Refreshing, actually, after all the hate and rage from the 'normals' below.

  


Someone below them shouted something about the roof. They knew.

  


Remy didn't waste anymore time. "Ok then, y' c'n stay here an' let dem people down there kill y'. Remy's leaving." He turned his back to her and got ready to jump.

  


Just as he was about to jump, he heard the sound of ripping skin, and something came hurtling at high speed, straight for him. 

  


Before Remy could react, the something grabbed him under his arms and he found himself flying over the houses he had previously been planning to jump over.

  


"What da..?" He twisted his head and his eyes widened in shock. 

  


It was the girl. She had wings. He was still trying to catch his stomach when she told him to stop moving or she'd drop him.

  


Was it a warning or a threat? 

  


"Where?"

  


"Eh?"

  


Exasperated, she repeated, "Where. Are. We. Going.?"

  


"North side of town, dere be people waitin' f'r Remy at de old church."

  


"Who?"

  


"Friends."

  


"Doesn't matter if they are friends. I asked who they were."

  


"Shouldn't y' be asking who Remy is?" Stomach caught up, brain in place, though still a little unnerved by the whole flying thing, his cocky attitude came back.

  


"You," she started quite plainly as if she were reading directly from a page in her hand, "Are a thief. You, are a mutant. You are annoying me. However, you did keep me from crushing my own skull. Therefore, I owe you. I owe it to you to get you out of there. After which, I will leave, and you shall continue your life as you have, without thought to whatever may happen to the stranger you meet while taking something precious to another." 

  


"Deme people got the money to replace dat one necklace."

  


"Perhaps. Perhaps it was a family heirloom. No way to replace that."

  


"Well, _perhaps_ Remy don' care much."

  


"Exactly. You don't care about them. You don't care about me. You probably don't care about your 'friends' I am taking you to. You care only about yourself. Keeping yourself out of the jails, and making sure no one knows you."

  


"You get this philosophical on de streets, _chere_?"

  


"Very good. When one has no one to talk to. No one to care for, or by. No rules but survival, you make your own rules and have many interesting conversations with yourself. You never know what you'll say next, but it's always interesting."

  


He looked up at her, no one else? That was different. Most kids traveled in groups.

  


"What, Remy?"

  


"How long y' been on the street?"

  


"You haven't answered my question."

  


"What question?"

  


"I will drop you if I perceive a lie or trap. Who are your friends?"

  


"We jus' a ring of thieves, _petite_. Not'ing fancy," 

  


"Call me _petite_ again, I'll gut you. 'A Ring of Thieves. Nothing Fancy', Sounds like something fancy to me. Strike one."

  


"Honest _chere_, we be just a bunch of thieves, all around the neighborhood."

  


At least _THAT_ wasn't a lie. . . call it a sugar coating of the truth.

  


"You are a thief. And by profession, a liar. You make your business of other people's business, and can lie your way into any house. You are a ring of thieves around the neighborhood? New Orleans is a big neighborhood to be running around loose in. Strike two."

  


"Hey, Remy done answered your question, _chere_, now you answer Remy's question."

  


"I have been on the streets since the day I was born. Happy now?"

  


"_Non. _But Remy can understand a lil' better now."

  


"Yes. I'm sure you could lie your way right into my cold, dark, unused heart. Good luck finding it."

  


"Ya got a heart _Cherie_, ya jus' ain't been taught to use it."

  


"Again, do not lie to me, Remy. I–"

  


"Remy ain't lying dis time, _chere. _Y' wouldn't been cartin' Remy over de city if ya didn't have a heart. Dis Remy knows."

  


"I will drop you off a block from the church. Don't use it as a meeting place again. Not unless you are there to ask forgiveness for your sins."

  


"What, you religious?"

  


"No. But less people will harm someone when they know God is watching."

  


"So, you do believe in God then."

  


"We have to."

  


We. Not 'I'. We have to. Have to believe in something. Have to believe that there is something out there that keeps us from being road kill a few years sooner. 

  


Remy himself was raised a Catholic, because his father, Papa LeBeau, was the ring lord of the Thieves Guild. And because Papa always said that you should pray.

  


Remy never quite understood that. Sure, he would pray that no one found him when he got in a tight jam... but his father still went to Mass every Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. Still said his Hail Mary's and Lord's Prayers. Counted the beads, and went to confessional almost twice a week. Perhaps he thought that by 'fessing up to his sins, he would be given a cooler spot in hell. Or a longer term in Purgatory, before he embraced the flames.

  


Remy, however, only went to Mass when he felt like it now. Which wasn't often.

  


Sure, he'd been to confessional.... let's see.... three years ago?

  


That would be a long time for both him and the Priest to sit through while Remy listed all his sins. He was doing the Priest a favor, really.

  


He still kept a Rosemary with him though. A talisman of sorts. Besides, if he were ever wounded, he wanted at least a chance of coming clean to the Lord before he died.

  


"Yea, _chere_ we do."

  


____

  


Sorry it's short. Wrote this a while ago, just now finishing the clean up on it. It's short, but at least you all now know I'm still alive. I no longer like the re-write I did of chapter one, but I'm not going to waste time on it right now. I'll get to work on the next chapter for now, and then maybe I'll look at chapter one again.

  


Life is not fair, I have never believed it to ever be fair. But at least sometimes we can even out the playing field. 

  


____

  


heh, I decided to talk to my adoring fans who hate me for not updating now. lol.

  


Ima Super Mute Ant: thanks for the compliment. Hope you stick around. I've got a lot of cool stuff coming up.

  


ZilentZombie: hehehehehe... doncha just love to hate me? ^_~

  


Daylight: I wish you had left an email or something. I hate when people don't leave a way to get in contact. Anywho.... *pulls on her black hood* Don't worry about the plothole. There isn't one. *nods* yes, just keep thinking that I'm crazy and don't know what I'm talking about. You'll see. ^_~

___

  


welp, that's all for now. Imma work on the 6th chapter now. ^_^ I'm so unhappy I can write now, ain't that a shame?


	6. Treasure Island

drags herself out from under the rock that fell on her

um.... hi everyone... my name is Furry Elf, and I'm a writer who doesn't update regularly.

The rock that fell on me is huge and the end results of my escapades with rebellion is a lovely baby boy, now a month old.

**Disclaimer:** I own only the story and Tate. The X-Men and all the respective things that go with them belong to Marvel. I make no attempts at too many big words tonight...er.. Morning... because I've had no sleep. smiles on with the show!

**Warning:** It's unbearably short. Extremely Short. _Excruciatingly_ **SHORT**. Just wanted to let you know I'm still alive.

Logan chewed on the end of his cigar as he walked to the X-Jet. Remy hadn't had much time to tell him anything of much use before the alarm went off and Xavier was talking in his head about a FoH attack in progress in Boston.

Storm greeted him on the way down the hall and he grunted in reply.

There wasn't much, but he _had_ learned something from Remy. Tate had been alone most her life. Remy seemed to be her first real friend. She had convictions about stealing–something you don't normally see in street kids, and she believed in God. Even more unusual for a mutant on the streets.

"Something on your mind, Logan?" Storm gently inquired after studying Logan for a moment.

"Yup, plenty."

She smiled and shook her head. She knew better than to press– and they had more important things to think about now anyways.

Tate finally landed at her window after two hours of flying. Logan wasn't trying to push her to talk much. She appreciated that. But he was still pushing and she resented that.

_Why is it that when you try to live around a group of people, they always insist on talking everything to death?_

She laid on the bed on her stomach and thought back to when she and Remy had met. That day was the most talking she'd done in a long while. Also the first time she'd actually gone inside a church. Odd how quickly things can change.

She saw the tape on the windows and smiled slightly. Now she knew more about the mansion, it seemed less likely that there was danger of the windows shattering–but she saw no reason to let on that was the true reason they'd asked the tape to be put up. You never knew when a telepath would pick up your thoughts.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door to a very big, very fuzzy, very happy Henry.

"Yes?" "Hello, allow me to introduce myself, I am Dr. Henry McCoy, everyone calls me Hank. I was wondering, if perhaps, you would appreciate some books–now before you stop me, allow me to show you the difference from regular print books. These have raised letters so that your echolocation can easily read them."

Tate just stood there. No one had ever offered something like this to her before. Hank held the three books out to her, smiling from ear to furry ear.

Coming back to reality, Tate gave Henry a small smile and took the books.

"Thank you, Dr. McCoy, that is very kind of you."

"Not at all, Miss LeBeau, it is my utmost pleasure to be of service. If you have any particular titles in mind, please let me know at any time, and I can have more sent to the mansion for you."

"Thank you, I think I'll read these first."

He waved as he walked/bounced away; "Very well then. I must be off to the lab–I've left something quiet combustible bubbling down there." He flashed her another toothy smile before disappearing around a corner.

Closing the door she looked at the books in her hand. Tom Sawyer, Select Works of Shakespear, and Treasure Island.

She put Treasure Island on the bed, and the others on the bedside table. Smiling as she opened it, even though her reading was rusty at best; only reading signs on buildings. She would find Remy later to help her.

again, sorry it's so short. This is just to get the creativeness flowing again. The next chapter will, of course, be slow in coming, but with a month old baby demanding to be feed every 2 ½ hours, what else can you expect?? Please visit my favorite stories and authors.


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